Healthcare

The healthcare industry faces dramatic change due to a variety of factors:

Rising competition from both multinationals and local players

Emergence of low cost medical devices and treatments

Rising costs of healthcare coupled with greater private spending

Uncertainty around shifting regulations

Consolidation of the hospital industry, coupled with segmentation and specialization

Shortage of qualified healthcare professionals

ValueNotes’ healthcare practice helps suppliers to the medical community understand how they can increase market share, segment the market, benchmark competition and more. We help manufacturers of medical devices and medical equipment with a variety of intelligence solutions:

What is the opportunity in Tier II and Tier III cities?

How do different types of customers make buying decisions?

Should my sales strategy be different for large/small hospitals?

How do I customize my channel strategy for different regions/cities?

Is my competitor’s brand stronger than mine?

PROJECT EXAMPLES

A diabetes therapeutic firm wanted to assess a competitor's recently launched disposable insulin pen. A combination of mystery shopping and in-depth interviews with ex-employees, production executives, supply chain partners and industry analysts helped gather intelligence on the product features (technical aspects and usage); manufacturing process (suppliers for each component, product assembly process, current & planned capacity, commercial partners abroad); and the countries in which the product was expected to be launched in the next few years.

A leading manufacturer of carotenoids anticipated a potential threat to their market share and profitability given the increasing competition. They thus wanted to track the global carotenoids industry and the competitive environment. We created an automated news tracker which served as a repository of all news available - such as new product launches, JVs & mergers, regulations, manufacturing, supply chain, and marketing initiatives.

The focus of the study was to understand the consumer health services & technology market in South East Asia. In-depth interviews with consumer healthcare companies offering OTC medication, nutritional, patient care and personal care provided insights into their strategic growth priorities, adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as social media, and their preferred technology service providers.

The client wanted to set up a premium drug rehabilitation centre in India catering to the needs of high net worth individuals (HNIs). They wanted to understand the industry, both from a demand side (the rehab needs of HNIs), and from the supply side (existing centres). A survey of over 600 respondents - with industry experts, heads of rehab centres, government officials and healthcare professionals - provided an overview of the services currently available in India and the key offerings of premium centres.

Expert interview with practicing Rheumatoid arthritis physicians in India to establish patient attitudes as a precursor to a multi-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a fully human anti-TNF monoclonal antibody.

An organizer of exhibitions, targeted at the medical fraternity, wanted to reach out to surgeons and gastroenterologists in 22 countries across Europe. ValueNotes built a target list of 100,000 contacts with data such as the clinics the contact was attached to, address, contact details, area of speciality, personal contact information, etc. The database was created by mining various publicly available online databases of hospitals and doctors across all countries.

The client, offering business research and market information databases on developing markets to medical equipment and healthcare management companies, wanted to understand the market for clinical information systems. Interviews - with heads of departments, clinicians, and purchase managers, across private and public hospitals in India - helped establish the usage and need of these systems.

A global vaccine research & development organization wanted to develop an affordable rotavirus vaccine. In order to carry out clinical trials, they needed to raise up to US$ 50mn. We identified events and forums that grants organizations typically attended. We also identified donor organisations - in India, North America, Middle East, West Europe and Norway - that supported such trials, and who could potentially commit to the required funding.

A leading healthcare product manufacturer required a market sizing study for IV Lines and Catheters in Russia, Turkey & Poland. The study was based entirely on secondary research.

A global analytical instruments company wanted to expand their foothold in India and devise an operational strategy for the local market. In-depth interviews with mid- and senior-level management in sales, marketing, after-sales, R&D, finance and human resources functions helped establish their competitors' organisation structure, inter-department operational dynamics, and interaction between the Indian subsidiaries and their global counterparts.

A UK-based manufacturer of medical devices for the treatment of diabetes wanted to determine the market size for insulin needles and lancets in Russia. Their sales were affected by cheap products from Asia. Through in-depth desk and primary research, we established the market size, desired features by purchasers, market shares of other brands, and effective sales & distribution channels. Based on our findings, the client was able to revise their sales and distribution strategy for Russia.

The client wanted to understand the growth drivers of the Indian business units of three multinational pharma companies. They also wanted to establish why there was a mismatch between sales and growth figures reported in their annual financial reports and sales data captured by collection agencies such as IMS. In-depth CI revealed details on India revenues and their growth areas. Based on our findings, the client was able to benchmark itself against competition and formulate their future strategy.

Developed a Frienderly Index - for councils in England, Ireland and Scotland - based on parameters such as transportation frequency, parking facilities, etc. Our findings helped the client rank the councils, and advise pensioners on the benefits and support they could expect in each country.

The client wanted to enter the radiotherapy devices market in India, specifically cancer imaging and cancer therapy devices. The study included understanding the current manufactures and suppliers in India, key players, the type of devices sold, growth drivers, and the need of customers. In-depth interviews were conducted with manufacturers, hospitals, research and medical institutes to gain an understanding on the market.

The objective of the study was to understand the scope of e-learning for medical education in Japan - players, price points, platforms for disseminating information, and the preferred methods of payment by customers. A combination of desk research and interviews with university professors and the ministries of education, culture, sports, science and technology helped establish that the e-learning market in Japan, specifically for medical education, was in a nascent stage and had started to gain traction driven by government initiatives.

An Indian charity wanted to assess the viability of different locations in rural Pune for a veterinary hospital. ValueNotes assessed feasibility based on farmer and animal population, distance from proposed location, and nature of veterinary services required; coupled with analysis of project costs.

Business research to analyze the R&D efforts of Indian and multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in India. This study focused on API and formulation R&D, with a focus on contract (outsourced) research and capabilities of research labs in India.

Industry report detailing the market characteristics and including current and expected market size, key drivers and barriers to growth along with an incisive analysis of the competitive scenario, vendor space and profiles of key players

A UK based company was looking to acquire equity in an Indian provider of medical transcription services. We analyzed the competitive position of the target company based on industry dynamics, key success factors (infrastructure, training, scalability, management, etc.).

The client wanted to get up-to-date news and insights on contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS). We provided a bimonthly newsletter which focused on the shifts in business models, M&A trends, emerging technology platforms, and provided a macro level view of the Indian pharma industry against a global backdrop.

A French manufacturer of orthopaedic implants/prosthetics wanted to assess the Indian market, with a focus on hip, knee and traumatology segments. Apart from analysis on market size & structure, value chain analysis, pricing, competing local products, growth prospects, regulation; we analyzed buyer decision making across types of hospitals

This research for a pharmaceutical major determined the state of vaccine R&D in Indian universities, research institutes, and pharma /biotech companies; key technologies and manufacturing capabilities; and the level of government support to vaccine research.

In depth interviews with manufacturers, importers, and end-users to estimate the market size, growth potential, the supply chain factors, pricing scheme, sales and marketing practices, customer demand and purchasing patterns of diagnostic reagents used in testing of cholesterol and lipid tests

Assessed development plans (trials, approvals, launch plans) of a competitor developing a specific drug for treating cystic fibrosis. Deduced marketing strategy and also identified other companies developing or with plans to develop similar products.

Investigated competitive landscape for a leading psycho-active substance and assessed its therapeutic potential in the Indian and Chinese markets. Identified companies developing generic and/or branded versions, stage of development process and regulatory approval, and estimated U.S. product launch timelines/target dates.

A VC wanted to evaluate the investment opportunity in the hospital sector in India and required research to determine the financial health of large private sector hospitals in India. The study involved analysis of the cost and revenue structures of Indian hospitals, and the returns provided by them.

The study involved tracking the current and projected demand of the staffing business and price points, identifying the sources of demand, challenges, previous failures, government policies and staffing patterns. The study also included competitor profiles of the staffing players.

The report helps pharmaceutical companies select an outsourcing partner for contract research. Along with an incisive analysis of the contract research vendors, the report highlighted industry trends, emerging business models, challenges and future growth

A market intelligence study to evaluate the market conditions and opportunities in pharmaceutical retaining in India. The research and analysis included market size, growth, vendor landscape, investment opportunities, key trends, key regulatory initiatives and likely evolution of the market.

The market sizing and customer perception study included extensive interviews with industry experts and suppliers. We identified the main excipients used by pharmaceutical companies in India, estimated consumption volumes - current and projected; analyzed key demand drivers, industry structure and supplier and market shares.

Expert interview with practicing Rheumatoid arthritis physicians in India to establish patient attitudes as a precursor to a multi-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a fully human anti-TNF monoclonal antibody.

Opportunity in China’s home beauty & home healthcare devices market China – a tricky market for a distributor of home beauty & home healthcare devices
The Chinese market was flooded with a wide range of home beauty & home healthcare devices, from multiple local & international manufacturers. Each product segment had several sub-product categories; and there were >20 players, a mix of local and international companies.
One of the country’s leading distributors of consumer electronics was unable to establish which product segments ... Read more...

Opportunity in China’s home beauty & home healthcare devices market China – a tricky market for a distributor of home beauty & home healthcare devices
The Chinese market was flooded with a wide range of home beauty & home healthcare devices, from multiple local & international manufacturers. Each product segment had several sub-product categories; and there were >20 players, a mix of local and international companies.
One of the country’s leading distributors of consumer electronics was unable to establish which product segments ... Read more...

What our clients have to say about us…

It was a very broad geographic project. We had internal staff and other partners, and you clearly outperformed all of them. You were very proactive and made recommendations that were actually very positive and helped us out. You went beyond – Project manager (healthcare practice), International research firm